Horigan Urban Forest Products of Skokie, IL, has been blazing trails in the utilization of urban wood for 15 years. In recent years the Horigans moved into larger quarters that includes a sawmill, warehouse and retail operation.

Erika Horigan, who co-owns the company with her husband, Bruce, discusses how Horigan UFP got started and her enjoyment in seeing felled community trees get a second chance as lumber and wood products.

“We first thought of the idea of milling urban logs in the late ‘70s. My husband Bruce, who is a certified arborist, was working in the tree care industry. He could hardly believe how many good milling logs were going into the landfill.”